JP6332122B2 - Sealed structure in power unit - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sealing structure in a power unit in which an engine and a transaxle are connected.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a hybrid vehicle in which a first case containing a first motor / generator is connected to an engine, and a second case containing a power split mechanism or a second motor / generator is connected to the first case. Are described. The first case is provided with a partition wall that partitions the engine-side storage portion and the second case-side storage portion, and a one-way clutch is disposed adjacent to the second case side from the partition wall. Yes.

JP 2014-069758 A

  Since the hybrid vehicle is a vehicle in which a motor is added to the engine as a driving force source, it is possible to share parts with a non-hybrid vehicle (hereinafter referred to as an engine vehicle) that does not include a motor. In that case, if there is a part that is used in the engine vehicle but is unnecessary in the hybrid car and that part is a part that is attached to the outside of the engine or the transmission case, the opening formed for the part in the hybrid car Need to be sealed. An example of such a part is a starter motor in an engine vehicle. In a hybrid vehicle, a motor that is a driving source can be used as an engine starter. Therefore, the transmission case is shared between the engine vehicle and the hybrid vehicle. In such a case, in the hybrid vehicle, the opening formed for the starter motor in the engine vehicle is sealed. Since such an opening is open to the outside of the vehicle, it is required to reliably prevent entry of dust, water, etc., and to be sealed with a simple structure and work as much as possible. However, in the past, there was no structure that could sufficiently meet such requirements, and there was room for new development.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above technical problem, and when a transaxle case shared with an engine vehicle is used for a hybrid vehicle, the opening formed for the engine vehicle can be easily formed. And it aims at providing the sealing structure in the power unit which can be sealed reliably.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a bell housing in which a transaxle housing is connected to an engine housing, and an end of the engine housing connecting the transaxle housing projects outward in the radial direction of the engine housing. In the sealed structure of the power unit in which the opening is formed in the bell housing portion in the crankshaft direction of the engine, the opening is used in an engine vehicle having only the engine as a driving force source. However, it is a configuration that is not required in a hybrid vehicle including the engine and motor as the driving force source, and has a flat plate portion facing the opening between the engine housing and the transaxle housing. Separator plate The separator plate is fixed by a fixed plate that is sandwiched and is fitted with a flexible material longer than the axial length of the opening in the opening, and the flexible material is attached to the outer surface of the bell housing portion opposite to the separator plate. And the compressed flexible material is expanded in the radial direction and is in close contact with the inner surface of the opening.

  According to the present invention, the flexible material is compressed by being sandwiched between the fixed plate and the separator plate, and the compressed flexible material expands in the radial direction of the opening. Therefore, the flexible material is in close contact with the inner surface of the opening, and the opening can be reliably sealed. As a result, entry of foreign matter into the housing can be suppressed or avoided, and the opening formed for the engine vehicle can be easily and reliably sealed.

1 is a perspective view of a vehicle drive device according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the vehicle drive device shown in FIG. It is an enlarged view of the plate-shaped member and flexible material shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of the Example which concerns on this invention.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a vehicle drive device 1 according to the present invention, in which an engine housing 2 and a transaxle housing 3 are connected. A bell housing portion 5 of the engine 4 is provided on the surface facing the transaxle housing 3. The bell housing part 5 is formed to protrude outward in the radial direction of the engine housing 2. Further, the bell housing portion 5 is formed with an opening 6 penetrating in the crankshaft direction of the engine 4. And the flexible material 7 which seals the opening part 6 and the plate-shaped member 8 which is a fixed plate are attached. The flexible material 7 and the plate-like member 8 will be described later. A separator plate 9 is provided between the engine housing 2 and the transaxle housing 3.

  2 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle drive device 1 shown in FIG. 1. The crankshaft 10 of the engine 4, a flywheel 11 attached to the crankshaft 10, a damper 12 fixed to the flywheel 11, and a damper 12 and an input shaft 13 connected to the output side. Further, the engine housing 2 and the transaxle housing 3 are connected. A one-way clutch 14 and a separator plate 9 are provided between the housings 2 and 3. The inner ring of the one-way clutch 14 is fixed to the separator plate 9, and the outer ring is coupled to the flywheel 11, and is configured to engage when the flywheel 11 attempts to reversely rotate.

  Here, the separator plate 9 will be described. The separator plate 9 is a fixed plate that fixes the one-way clutch 14. Moreover, it has the flat plate part 9a facing the opening part 6 mentioned later. And it is provided between the engine housing 2 and the transaxle housing 3. Specifically, it is provided so as to be sandwiched between the housings 2 and 3. And it is provided so that it may spread outside the mating surface of the transaxle housing 3. That is, it is provided so as to cover up to the mating surface of the transaxle housing 3.

  Next, the bell housing part 5 and the opening 6 will be described. The bell housing part 5 is formed to project outward in the radial direction of the engine housing 2, and an opening 6 is formed in a part of the bell housing part 5 so as to penetrate in the crankshaft direction of the engine 4. In particular, the hybrid vehicle described above is open because it does not have a starter motor. The bell housing 5 is formed with a notch 15 that does not close the opening 6 in a perfect circle. The notch 15 is a portion corresponding to a portion of the side cover when the opening 6 is conventionally closed by the plate-like member 8 and the side cover.

Next, the above-described flexible material 7 will be described. The flexible material 7 functions as a seal member that seals the opening 6. An example of the flexible material 7 is urethane. Urethane is lightweight and elastic, and has properties such as shock absorption and easy processing. The flexible material 7 is formed in a shape that follows the notch 15 described above. Further, it is longer than the axial length of the opening 6 in the crankshaft direction of the engine 4. That is, the flexible member 7 is formed so as to protrude toward the transaxle housing 3 when fitted into the opening 6. Further, when the flexible material 7 is fitted into the opening 6, a clearance is formed between the inner surface of the opening 6. This is because when the flexible material 7 is fitted into the opening 6, the flexible material 7 is compressed so as to be in close contact with the inner surface of the opening 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the flexible material 7 has a hole in the central portion of the flexible material 7. This soft material 7, is sandwiched between the plate-like member 8 and the separator plates 9 to be described later, when compressed, flexible member 7 is so that expands uniformly.

  Next, the plate-like member 8 that is a fixed plate will be described. The plate-like member 8 is attached to the outer surface opposite to the separator plate 9 described above. And since the flexible material 7 mentioned above is pinched | interposed by the plate-shaped member 8 and the separator plate 9, as shown to FIG. 1 and FIG. That is, the flexible material 7 and the plate-like member 8 may be attached so as to be integrated. These may be integrated by adhesion, welding or the like in order to improve assemblability. An example of the plate-like member 8 is a starter cover.

  Next, the operation of the above-described structure will be described with reference to FIG. Since the separator plate 9 is sized to cover the mating surface of the transaxle housing 3, the transaxle housing 3 is sealed by providing the separator plate 9. On the other hand, the opening 6 formed on the engine housing 2 side is formed with a notch 15 having a separator plate 9 as a bottom surface or an end surface. The bottom surface of the notch 15 is flat and smooth, not shown. It is kept parallel to the dummy cover mounting surface.

  This dummy cover is provided between the engine housing 2 and the separator plate 9 and is used to keep the bottom surface of the flexible member 7 in the crankshaft direction of the engine 4 flat. Specifically, when the flexible material 7 is sandwiched between the plate-like member 8 and the separator plate 9, the flexible material 7 is evenly expanded and the opening 6 is sealed. That is, it is provided to keep the bottom surface of the flexible material 7 that is easily deformed parallel to the separator plate 9 in the crankshaft direction of the engine 4.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4B, the engine housing 2 and the transaxle housing 3 are coupled. That is, the housings 2 and 3 are joined together. Further, the flexible material 7 is fitted into the opening 6. And the flexible material 7 is pinched | interposed with the plate-shaped member 8 and the separator plate 9, and the dummy cover mentioned above is extracted. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4C, the flexible material 7 is sandwiched between the plate-like member 8 and the separator plate 9 and fixed with bolts.

As a result, the flexible material 7 is compressed and a portion of the clearance with the inner surface of the opening 6 is filled. That is, since the flexible member 7 is longer than the axial length of the opening 6 in the crankshaft direction of the engine 4 and has a clearance between the inner surface of the opening 6 and the plate-like member 8 and the separator plate 9, The flexible material 7 expands in the radial direction by being sandwiched between and compressed. Thereby, the inner surface of the opening part 6 and the flexible material 7 adhere. In other words, the transaxle housing 3 is sealed by the separator plate 9 and at the same time, a flexible member such as urethane is sandwiched and expanded between the plate-like member 8 and the separator plate 9 to improve the adhesion with the inner surface of the opening 6. By doing so, the gap of the opening 6 is filled. This eliminates the clearance between the flexible member 7 and the opening 6, the opening 6 can and securely close Tozasuruko.

  Therefore, the opening 6 is blocked and the gap is eliminated, so that dust, water, etc. do not enter the housings 2 and 3, and corrosion or wear of internal parts such as the one-way clutch 14 is suppressed or avoided. can do. And when the transaxle case shared with an engine vehicle is used for a hybrid vehicle, the opening part formed for engine vehicles can be sealed easily and reliably.

  In addition, the structure can be mass-produced in terms of ease of assembly and cost, as compared with the case where measures are taken to prevent with a conventional rubber seal (O-ring) or lip seal.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, It can change suitably in the range in which the effect | action demonstrated by said embodiment produces.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle drive device, 2 ... Engine housing, 3 ... Transaxle housing, 4 ... Engine, 5 ... Bell housing part, 6 ... Opening part, 7 ... Flexible material, 8 ... Fixed plate (plate-shaped member), 9 ... separator plate, 9a ... flat plate part.

Claims (1)

A transaxle housing is connected to the engine housing, and a bell housing portion protruding outward in the radial direction of the engine housing is formed at an end of the engine housing connecting the transaxle housing. In the sealing structure in the power unit in which an opening penetrating in the crankshaft direction is formed ,
The opening is used in an engine vehicle including only an engine as a driving force source, but is not required in a hybrid vehicle including the engine and a motor as the driving force source,
A separator plate having a flat plate portion facing the opening is sandwiched between the engine housing and the transaxle housing,
A flexible material longer than the axial length of the opening is fitted into the opening, and the flexible material is spaced from the separator plate by a fixing plate attached to the outer surface of the bell housing portion opposite to the separator plate. A sealed structure of a power unit, wherein the compressed flexible material is sandwiched between and compressed, and expands in a radial direction and is in close contact with the inner surface of the opening.

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